Ancient Academy of Music, Orchestra and Chorus
Richard Egarr, director/harpsichord
Wilke te Brummelstroete(Dido)
Maarten Koningsberger(Aeneas)
Lorna Anderson (Belinda)
Giles Underwood (The Sorcerer)
Dido and Aeneas is an opera by the English Baroque composer Henry Purcell, from a libretto by Nahum Tate. The first known performance was at a girls' school in the spring of 1689 and hence is given catalogue number Z. 626. It comprises three acts and lasts about an hour.
It is based on a story from the fourth book of Virgil's Aeneid, of the legendary Queen of Carthage Dido and the Trojan refugee Aeneas. When Aeneas and his crew are shipwrecked in Carthage, he and the queen fall in love. However, Aeneas must soon leave to found Rome. Dido cannot live without him and awaits death.
Remarks: Tickets for Henry Purcell: Dido & Aeneas are available now!